Sinfully Sexy (13 page)
Authors: Linda Francis Lee
Tags: #Romance, #Sex in the workplace, #Fiction
"Not so fast," he said ominously. "Last I heard, eleven doesn't make a
dozen. I'll be the bachelor on the condition that you fill in as the
missing Rose."
She gaped at him. "Me? I'm not going to be a Rose! And who's going to
notice a single missing Rose anyway?"
"The viewers," Kate stated.
The man's smile widened. "Exactly. And whose idea was it that we
advertise
The Catch and His Dozen
Texas Roses
Not
His Eleven
Texas Roses
. Or even just
His
Texas Roses
."
Julia and Kate turned their eyes on her.
"Okay, so it was my idea. Butâ"
"Chloe, he's right," Kate said. "Viewers will notice. We need another
Rose. I'd do it, but I'm married.
And Julia can't do it because everyone in West Texas knows who she is.
Which leaves you."
"I can't do it!"
"Why not?"
"Why not?!" she blurted. "I'm shy, remember! Me, Miss Sensible and
Boring. Me, Miss Completely Unsexâ" She snapped her mouth closed. "Me,
Miss Can't Do This!"
"I think you'd be perfect," Julia cooed. Her eyes went from Chloe to
Trey, then back again. "Besides,
I've noticed recently that your shy streak has been on vacation."
"Julia," she hissed.
"Enough, you two," Kate said. "This is the only solution. Trey is from
St. Louis and won't be recognized in this market. Chloe, shy or not,
you've made such a point of being behind the scenes over the years
that no one knows you. And as you said, we have to get started. We
don't have time to look for anybody else."
"But what about work? I have a station to run."
Julia jumped in with a response. "Kate and I will do it for you. We'll
divide the load and get it done. Besides, it's only for two weeks, and
almost all your attention was going to have to be devoted to
The Catch
anyway. So it will work
out fine."
Chloe couldn't believe it. She also couldn't believe the man's smile.
He had sowed the seed, then let her best friends bring the plan to
fruition. The guy was really shrewd.
This time she was the one who started to pace. There had to be another
solution. But what?
They really didn't have time to find someone else.
"Lucy!" she yelped. "We can get Lucy to do it."
"I don't want Lucy," Trey stated ominously. "I want you."
Chloe ignored the shiver of feeling that raced down her spine and
settled with a traitorous tingle between her thighs.
"Whether you want her or not doesn't matter," Julia replied. "Lucy's
not an option. She might be the biggest flirt in town, but she's got a
boyfriend."
Great, just great. But then Chloe had yet another idea.
Why not do the show? It would get them on the air in time to start
bringing in the much-needed revenue. Which meant that they would save
the station . . . and it put Trey Tanner, aka the reclusive Sterling
Prescott, in the television spotlight.
Yep, it wasn't such a bad plan after all.
"I've reconsidered. I think it's a great idea. I'll do it," she
announced.
Kate clapped in relief; Julia hugged her. But Mr. Game Player himself
did what he did so well. He raised a dark brow.
Chloe smiled at himâa big, fake, sweet taste of Texas smile that spread
from here to Houston.
Two could play games, Mr. Prescott. And she had no intention of losing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Katherine Bloom
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Suspicious
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: Imagining things
Station Manager
Award-winning KTEXTV
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Julia Boudreaux
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Agree
News Anchor, KTEX TV West Texas
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Katherine Bloom
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Red, white, and missing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: Pshaw
     Julia Boudreaux
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Trouble
The Catch
was ready to begin. Giant
lights illuminated the rooms that they were using as sets in Julia's
sprawling mansion. Anything that could be seen as clutter was removed.
They turned the Boudreaux's grand living room into a ballroom by
removing most of the furniture and the fine Oriental rug from the
gleaming hardwood floor. They would use that space for the opening show
to introduce the entire cast to the television audience. In the days to
come, the station would use the stunning dining room set for romantic
dinnersâthat is, if dinners with more than one
Rose
could be considered romantic.
Then finally, they would use the main, smaller living room for that
place where their bachelor would dole out the roses at the end of each
episode. A place of joy and pain.
The rest of the time, the cameraman would follow the contestants with
his camera, along with a sound and lighting man. It was an easy setup,
low cost, but gave the show a modern and hip look. By six that evening
they had to have forty-four minutes of programming in the can and
sixteen minutes of commercials so they could wow audiences across the
city.
"Can you say pressure?" Chloe whispered to herself as she went over the
last details on one of her
many lists. Though even she couldn't deny a bud of excitement over the
challenge and potential of
what they were doing.
Pete, Kate's director from
Getting
Real with Kate
, had been enlisted to direct
The Catch
. And now,
after a fitful first night of little sleep in Julia's home turned
dormitory and stage set, Chloe was as ready
as she would ever be.
"Okay, does everyone understand the plan?" she asked, quieting the
Roses
who circled Julia's dining
room table.
Julia stood to the side, her body surprisingly tense. Now that Chloe
was sleeping in the same room with Juliaâthe other Roses strewn
throughout the rest of the bedrooms, living dormitory-styleâChloe knew
Julia hadn't slept well. For the first time in her life, Julia looked
stressed.
Last night after things had calmed down, Chloe had started to tell
Julia who Trey Tanner really was. But in the end, after they had put
the new Catch and his dozen Roses together, she hadn't been able to say
the words. Chloe knew that in ways Julia wasn't willing to show anyone,
she had been barely holding on since her father's death, which had left
his only child alone and devastated by the loss. But Julia had
never been one to show her feelings. So she smiled and worked and did
what she had to. But Chloe
knew that she was barely holding on.
Chloe had to make this workâand it could. But Julia finally snapping
and getting hysterical over Trey Tanner turning out not to be Trey
Tanner at all wouldn't help matters. Chloe needed everyone calm and
working at their best levels. Julia might be the owner, but Chloe was
the station manager. And she had every intention of managing this
situation back into success. Which meant she had no choice but to be
one of the dozen Texas Roses.
Chloe pulled on a determined smile. "Ladies, let's review what we are
going to do one last time."
The Roses sighed. They had already spent a good thirty minutes going
over the show, then another twenty discussing Chloe suddenly joining
the cast. It had become clear early on that the girls didn't think she
had more than a snowball's chance in hell of winning, so they hadn't
protested the odd arrangement too vigorously. Besides, not one of the
Roses wanted the show to be cancelled at this late date.
Chloe launched into her spiel. "We will tape all twelve Roses being
introduced to the Catch. This will be your chance to make a good first
impression. Then we will tape each Rose engaging the Catch's attention.
I've allotted thirty minutes for each of you, with a short lunch break
at noon."
Shuddering at what these women had to doâengaging a man's attention,
trying to win his approvalâChloe reminded herself that it was all for a
good cause. They were saving the station.
"I know we've been over this," Mindy, the nurse, said, "but let me make
sure I'm clear. We each introduce ourselves to the guyâ"
"The Catch."
"I can't call a man the Catch."
"Fine. Then call him Trey."
Or traitor, liar, schmuck would do. But Chloe held that back.
"Good, I can do Treyâ"
Nina, the bitch, grinned. "Did you see him last night? I could do him,
too."
A few of the women tittered nervously. Others burst out laughing. Nina
preened, pleased with her wit.
"So," Mindy said, moving on, "we introduce ourselves to Trey. After
that we have to come up with
some way to make him want to keep us on the show."
Chloe couldn't help mentally cringing at the sheer disgustingness of
the idea. Men should be begging
each and every one of these women for a few seconds of her attention.
Women should not have to beg
to be given a rose. It was degrading. It was embarrassing. She couldn't
believe she had agreed to this.
But that was the show. Women trying to snag a single man's interest.
You're saving the station
.
She shut her eyes and silently repeated the words to herself three
times, all but clicking her heels together like Dorothyâ with the
deep-down thought that when she opened her eyes, she'd be back in
Kansas. That, or she wouldn't be on the set for
The Catch and His Dozen Texas Roses
.
She opened her eyes and looked around. No such luck.
Leticia, the voluptuous vamp, as Julia was fond of calling her, smiled
wickedly and made a purring sound. "I know how to make a man want to
keep me around."
"I'm sure you do," Chloe said, "but remember, this is a G rated show.
Any lewd behavior won't make
the cut. If you want to get airtime on TV, keep it clean."
"Whatever" Leticia said, studying her nails as if she was suddenly
bored.
Mindy was getting frustrated and a little jumpy from nerves. "Okay,
just bear with me," she continued. "I'm trying to understand. What kind
of things are you talking about?"
Julia strode up and interjected. "Realistically, each of you has only
twenty minutes to
catch
the
Catch's attention since it will take a few minutes to stop taping,
switch to the next Rose, then start taping again.
So think about some sort of quick attention grabber. Hasn't there been
something you've done in the past that gained a man's attentionâas
Chloe said, of the G rated sort? Though I would add that a little PG 13
wouldn't hurt."
Mindy cringed.
Leticia cooed.
Chloe was glad to see Julia was back to her old self.
"Listen, Mindy," Janice, the sweet one, said, reaching out and placing
her hand on hers. "Just be
yourself. You're great and wonderful and smart and he's going to love
you."
The other Roses groaned.
"I'm serious," Janice persisted. "Just smile and talk to him, and he'll
love you."
"You realize," vampy Leticia said to bitchy Nina, "this is sweet
Janice's way of getting Mindy off the show pronto."
"It is not!"
Nina laughed.
Leticia held up her hands in mock surrender. "Whatever you say, girls.
But Mindy," she said, focusing
on the nurse, "just talking isn't going to do a thing. You've got to
dazzle him."
"Me? Dazzle?"
"You bet. Tell him he's the best-looking stud you've ever seen in your
life."
Mindy's eyes got wide and worried.
"You're going to be fine," Chloe assured her. "I'm sure there are lots
of things you can do."
"Think of this as a mini-Miss America contest," Julia cooed.
Eleven Roses gasped. Chloe looked at her best friend like she had lost
her mind. "Miss America?"
"Like the talent portion. Sing. Dance. Do something that will catch the
judge's eye. And in this case,
the judge is the Catch."
The back door slammed, and Trey walked into the house with a suitcase
in hand. Every woman there froze at the sight of him. For the first few
seconds, Chloe forgot that he was a liar.
Her pulse kicked up, and she involuntarily sucked in her breath at how
beautiful he was. He had dressed in a tuxedo that fit him like a glove;
his white shirt was simple, no ruffles, with black onyx shirt studs
that disappeared beneath a dark gray vest. Conservative but sexy at the
same time. The formal evening clothes accentuated the dark fierceness
of him.
He was breathtaking, like a prince at a rogues ball.
Which reminded her of just who he was. Sterling Prescott. Cutthroat
media mogul. CEO of Prescott Media. Corporate raider extraordinaire.
Though she still thought of him as Trey.
"Sorry I'm late."
He smiled at her, that slight grin that was given out so rarely that it
seemed like a treasured gift. Not
that she felt that way, but more than one of the Roses sighed.
Geez
.
"I've been on the phone all morning," he said to Chloe, "clearing my
plate so I'll have all day to deal
with this. I brought my suitcase. I guess I'm the one staying at your
house now."
She studied her clipboard, trying to ignore him, since she couldn't
take looking at him much longer. Because the truth was she had the urge
to launch herself at him again, and not because she was angry. How was
it possible that she was still attracted to the man when she knew him
to be a horrible conniving person? It was unfair. Unheard of for her.
On top of that, she wasn't happy about having him stay in her home. It
felt intimate and knowing, as if she was giving him a peek into her
soul. Had he been a stranger, it wouldn't have mattered. But this
man wasn't a stranger. Not anymore.
"Yes, you're staying at my house," she stated with her best in-charge
voice. "I'll take you over during
the lunch break."
"That works."
Ever since he had become the Catch, he had taken this new job
seriously. In fact he had taken it so seriously that he had stopped
teasing and flirting with her altogether. Suddenly he was Mr.
Professional
in every aspect of his dealings with her. He was treating her as
nothing more than one of the dozen Roses.
Good!
Good!
"For now," she added, "you can leave your suitcase in the kitchen, then
we can get started."
For the first time she realized how quiet it had gotten. Every one of
the Roses sat in rapt attention. They might have joked about winning
the Catch's eye earlier. But now, seeing the man in the light of day,
dressed like an elegant warrior king, each of them was truly trying to
figure out a way to stand out. Even their shy nurse had a glitter in
her gaze that was all but predatory.
Chloe had to tamp down a surge of desire that she told herself was
nothing more than perfectly normal competitiveness.
"Let's go to the ballroom," she instructed.
That was one of the more amazing aspects of Julia's childhood home. Not
only was it huge and lovely, but the grand living room, as they called
it, could be turned into a stunning ballroom.
The Roses filed in, their heels sounding hollow against the hardwood
floor. Each of them was already dressed in her formal gown donated by
Henri's Formal Wear. Even the camera equipment and lighting shades
couldn't detract from the shimmering beauty of the crystal and mirrored
space.
As a child, Chloe used to sneak in and pretend to dance. She was
Cinderella, and she would dance with her imaginary prince, who always
arrived just in time to rescue her.
Shaking the thought away, she directed the girls to the chairs and
sofas that had been left in the room. When she had everyone seated, she
directed Trey to stand in a lattice archway covered with roses and
ivy that she and the director had set up earlier.
"Okay, Pete, it's all yours," Chloe said.
"But what about you?" Julia asked.
Everyone looked Chloe over. Chloe glanced at herself in the wall of
mirrors and had to swallow back a gasp. After finalizing the set, she
hadn't had a second to get ready.
"I'm one of the six who we'll tape after lunch."
Trey interrupted. "We want to have a wide sweep of all twelve Roses.
Which includes you."
"I haven't had a chance to get ready. Plus I don't have a dress yet.
Henri is bringing something over.
Our AWOL Rose's gown didn't fit me. And the vendor already took the
extras away."
For the first time since he arrived that morning, he looked at her with
that sensual knowing. "I can think of a dress you have that would work
well."
Her heart leaped into her throat, and she was certain red seared into
her cheeks. She started to protest.
Pete agreed. "I'd rather do the wide shots this morning. That way we
can get started editing that tape for the show's opening."
"Go change," Trey commanded. "We'll start with the individual intros.
Then once you get back, we'll
do the wide sweep."
Knowing they were right, she left. Julia followed. "What dress is he
talking about?"
"There's something that I forgot to mention," Chloe began with a
cringe, "in all the excitement about the show and the plans and
whatnotâ"
"Whenever you use
whatnot
, I
know something's up."
"Nothing is up. It's just that I sort of forgot to mention that"âshe
drew a deep breathâ"the night I
nearly had sex in the hotel bathroomâremember that night?"
"Yes," Julia said very carefully.
"Remember how I said it was a stranger?"
"I do."
"Well, that stranger would be Trey."
"What? Our Trey? Bachelor Trey?"
"That's the one."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to. But I found out that Trey was from Prescott Media, and
then Kate and I thought I
should tell you in person...."
"You told Kate?"
"Yes, that first day, but I wanted to tell you in person and you were
busy and then things got kind of out of control and I hated to mention
that on top of finding out that you were having such issues with the
station. Anyway, then I forgot I hadn't mentioned it. Until now."
Julia started to pace, her kitten heels clicking on the floor. "Great.
So why the news flash now?"
"Remember the dress that I borrowed from you that night?"
"That's the dress he referred to?"
"You got it."
Finally Julia stopped and smiled. "See, I told you that dress would
make you stand out in a crowd."
dozen. I'll be the bachelor on the condition that you fill in as the
missing Rose."
She gaped at him. "Me? I'm not going to be a Rose! And who's going to
notice a single missing Rose anyway?"
"The viewers," Kate stated.
The man's smile widened. "Exactly. And whose idea was it that we
advertise
The Catch and His Dozen
Texas Roses
Not
His Eleven
Texas Roses
. Or even just
His
Texas Roses
."
Julia and Kate turned their eyes on her.
"Okay, so it was my idea. Butâ"
"Chloe, he's right," Kate said. "Viewers will notice. We need another
Rose. I'd do it, but I'm married.
And Julia can't do it because everyone in West Texas knows who she is.
Which leaves you."
"I can't do it!"
"Why not?"
"Why not?!" she blurted. "I'm shy, remember! Me, Miss Sensible and
Boring. Me, Miss Completely Unsexâ" She snapped her mouth closed. "Me,
Miss Can't Do This!"
"I think you'd be perfect," Julia cooed. Her eyes went from Chloe to
Trey, then back again. "Besides,
I've noticed recently that your shy streak has been on vacation."
"Julia," she hissed.
"Enough, you two," Kate said. "This is the only solution. Trey is from
St. Louis and won't be recognized in this market. Chloe, shy or not,
you've made such a point of being behind the scenes over the years
that no one knows you. And as you said, we have to get started. We
don't have time to look for anybody else."
"But what about work? I have a station to run."
Julia jumped in with a response. "Kate and I will do it for you. We'll
divide the load and get it done. Besides, it's only for two weeks, and
almost all your attention was going to have to be devoted to
The Catch
anyway. So it will work
out fine."
Chloe couldn't believe it. She also couldn't believe the man's smile.
He had sowed the seed, then let her best friends bring the plan to
fruition. The guy was really shrewd.
This time she was the one who started to pace. There had to be another
solution. But what?
They really didn't have time to find someone else.
"Lucy!" she yelped. "We can get Lucy to do it."
"I don't want Lucy," Trey stated ominously. "I want you."
Chloe ignored the shiver of feeling that raced down her spine and
settled with a traitorous tingle between her thighs.
"Whether you want her or not doesn't matter," Julia replied. "Lucy's
not an option. She might be the biggest flirt in town, but she's got a
boyfriend."
Great, just great. But then Chloe had yet another idea.
Why not do the show? It would get them on the air in time to start
bringing in the much-needed revenue. Which meant that they would save
the station . . . and it put Trey Tanner, aka the reclusive Sterling
Prescott, in the television spotlight.
Yep, it wasn't such a bad plan after all.
"I've reconsidered. I think it's a great idea. I'll do it," she
announced.
Kate clapped in relief; Julia hugged her. But Mr. Game Player himself
did what he did so well. He raised a dark brow.
Chloe smiled at himâa big, fake, sweet taste of Texas smile that spread
from here to Houston.
Two could play games, Mr. Prescott. And she had no intention of losing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Katherine Bloom
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Suspicious
Chloe,
sugar, you changed your mind awfully quick. Kate, didn't you sense it,
too? One minute
she was adamantly against doing it, then suddenly she said yes.
At first I was simply relieved. Now I'm not so sure I should be.
Tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours.
xo, jsugar, you changed your mind awfully quick. Kate, didn't you sense it,
too? One minute
she was adamantly against doing it, then suddenly she said yes.
At first I was simply relieved. Now I'm not so sure I should be.
Tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: Imagining things
Really,
nothing's going on in my head. I am doing what is right for the
station. I am contributing.
I will do my part.
Chloe Sinclairnothing's going on in my head. I am doing what is right for the
station. I am contributing.
I will do my part.
Station Manager
Award-winning KTEXTV
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Julia Boudreaux
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Agree
I
agree. Chloe, what gives? I know how stubborn you can be. Spill.
Katherine C. Bloomagree. Chloe, what gives? I know how stubborn you can be. Spill.
News Anchor, KTEX TV West Texas
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Katherine Bloom
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Red, white, and missing
Kate,
she sounds like a bad patriotic song. And Chloe, where are you? Why
aren't you answering
your e-mail?
Life used to be so simple before Daddy died. Now I have to worry.
Life is giving me gray hairs!
xo, jshe sounds like a bad patriotic song. And Chloe, where are you? Why
aren't you answering
your e-mail?
Life used to be so simple before Daddy died. Now I have to worry.
Life is giving me gray hairs!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: Pshaw
Girls,
girls, girls, stop panicking. I had to dash back to the office now that
I'm going to be spending even more time on Meadowlark Drive. As to my
intent, I have nothing up my sleeve. But no one can blame me if I don't
last very long on the show.
Cgirls, girls, stop panicking. I had to dash back to the office now that
I'm going to be spending even more time on Meadowlark Drive. As to my
intent, I have nothing up my sleeve. But no one can blame me if I don't
last very long on the show.
Â
Â
p.s.
I love patriotic songs, and Jules, you don't have a single gray hair on
that head of yours. Stop being dramatic, xoxoxoxoxoxo
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I love patriotic songs, and Jules, you don't have a single gray hair on
that head of yours. Stop being dramatic, xoxoxoxoxoxo
Â
     Julia Boudreaux
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Trouble
Chloe!
What are you up to? What do you mean you can't be blamed if you don't
last very
long on the show?
Chloe?!!!!!!
KateWhat are you up to? What do you mean you can't be blamed if you don't
last very
long on the show?
Chloe?!!!!!!
Â
Â
TEN
By eight o'clock the following morning, taping forThe Catch
was ready to begin. Giant
lights illuminated the rooms that they were using as sets in Julia's
sprawling mansion. Anything that could be seen as clutter was removed.
They turned the Boudreaux's grand living room into a ballroom by
removing most of the furniture and the fine Oriental rug from the
gleaming hardwood floor. They would use that space for the opening show
to introduce the entire cast to the television audience. In the days to
come, the station would use the stunning dining room set for romantic
dinnersâthat is, if dinners with more than one
Rose
could be considered romantic.
Then finally, they would use the main, smaller living room for that
place where their bachelor would dole out the roses at the end of each
episode. A place of joy and pain.
The rest of the time, the cameraman would follow the contestants with
his camera, along with a sound and lighting man. It was an easy setup,
low cost, but gave the show a modern and hip look. By six that evening
they had to have forty-four minutes of programming in the can and
sixteen minutes of commercials so they could wow audiences across the
city.
"Can you say pressure?" Chloe whispered to herself as she went over the
last details on one of her
many lists. Though even she couldn't deny a bud of excitement over the
challenge and potential of
what they were doing.
Pete, Kate's director from
Getting
Real with Kate
, had been enlisted to direct
The Catch
. And now,
after a fitful first night of little sleep in Julia's home turned
dormitory and stage set, Chloe was as ready
as she would ever be.
"Okay, does everyone understand the plan?" she asked, quieting the
Roses
who circled Julia's dining
room table.
Julia stood to the side, her body surprisingly tense. Now that Chloe
was sleeping in the same room with Juliaâthe other Roses strewn
throughout the rest of the bedrooms, living dormitory-styleâChloe knew
Julia hadn't slept well. For the first time in her life, Julia looked
stressed.
Last night after things had calmed down, Chloe had started to tell
Julia who Trey Tanner really was. But in the end, after they had put
the new Catch and his dozen Roses together, she hadn't been able to say
the words. Chloe knew that in ways Julia wasn't willing to show anyone,
she had been barely holding on since her father's death, which had left
his only child alone and devastated by the loss. But Julia had
never been one to show her feelings. So she smiled and worked and did
what she had to. But Chloe
knew that she was barely holding on.
Chloe had to make this workâand it could. But Julia finally snapping
and getting hysterical over Trey Tanner turning out not to be Trey
Tanner at all wouldn't help matters. Chloe needed everyone calm and
working at their best levels. Julia might be the owner, but Chloe was
the station manager. And she had every intention of managing this
situation back into success. Which meant she had no choice but to be
one of the dozen Texas Roses.
Chloe pulled on a determined smile. "Ladies, let's review what we are
going to do one last time."
The Roses sighed. They had already spent a good thirty minutes going
over the show, then another twenty discussing Chloe suddenly joining
the cast. It had become clear early on that the girls didn't think she
had more than a snowball's chance in hell of winning, so they hadn't
protested the odd arrangement too vigorously. Besides, not one of the
Roses wanted the show to be cancelled at this late date.
Chloe launched into her spiel. "We will tape all twelve Roses being
introduced to the Catch. This will be your chance to make a good first
impression. Then we will tape each Rose engaging the Catch's attention.
I've allotted thirty minutes for each of you, with a short lunch break
at noon."
Shuddering at what these women had to doâengaging a man's attention,
trying to win his approvalâChloe reminded herself that it was all for a
good cause. They were saving the station.
"I know we've been over this," Mindy, the nurse, said, "but let me make
sure I'm clear. We each introduce ourselves to the guyâ"
"The Catch."
"I can't call a man the Catch."
"Fine. Then call him Trey."
Or traitor, liar, schmuck would do. But Chloe held that back.
"Good, I can do Treyâ"
Nina, the bitch, grinned. "Did you see him last night? I could do him,
too."
A few of the women tittered nervously. Others burst out laughing. Nina
preened, pleased with her wit.
"So," Mindy said, moving on, "we introduce ourselves to Trey. After
that we have to come up with
some way to make him want to keep us on the show."
Chloe couldn't help mentally cringing at the sheer disgustingness of
the idea. Men should be begging
each and every one of these women for a few seconds of her attention.
Women should not have to beg
to be given a rose. It was degrading. It was embarrassing. She couldn't
believe she had agreed to this.
But that was the show. Women trying to snag a single man's interest.
You're saving the station
.
She shut her eyes and silently repeated the words to herself three
times, all but clicking her heels together like Dorothyâ with the
deep-down thought that when she opened her eyes, she'd be back in
Kansas. That, or she wouldn't be on the set for
The Catch and His Dozen Texas Roses
.
She opened her eyes and looked around. No such luck.
Leticia, the voluptuous vamp, as Julia was fond of calling her, smiled
wickedly and made a purring sound. "I know how to make a man want to
keep me around."
"I'm sure you do," Chloe said, "but remember, this is a G rated show.
Any lewd behavior won't make
the cut. If you want to get airtime on TV, keep it clean."
"Whatever" Leticia said, studying her nails as if she was suddenly
bored.
Mindy was getting frustrated and a little jumpy from nerves. "Okay,
just bear with me," she continued. "I'm trying to understand. What kind
of things are you talking about?"
Julia strode up and interjected. "Realistically, each of you has only
twenty minutes to
catch
the
Catch's attention since it will take a few minutes to stop taping,
switch to the next Rose, then start taping again.
So think about some sort of quick attention grabber. Hasn't there been
something you've done in the past that gained a man's attentionâas
Chloe said, of the G rated sort? Though I would add that a little PG 13
wouldn't hurt."
Mindy cringed.
Leticia cooed.
Chloe was glad to see Julia was back to her old self.
"Listen, Mindy," Janice, the sweet one, said, reaching out and placing
her hand on hers. "Just be
yourself. You're great and wonderful and smart and he's going to love
you."
The other Roses groaned.
"I'm serious," Janice persisted. "Just smile and talk to him, and he'll
love you."
"You realize," vampy Leticia said to bitchy Nina, "this is sweet
Janice's way of getting Mindy off the show pronto."
"It is not!"
Nina laughed.
Leticia held up her hands in mock surrender. "Whatever you say, girls.
But Mindy," she said, focusing
on the nurse, "just talking isn't going to do a thing. You've got to
dazzle him."
"Me? Dazzle?"
"You bet. Tell him he's the best-looking stud you've ever seen in your
life."
Mindy's eyes got wide and worried.
"You're going to be fine," Chloe assured her. "I'm sure there are lots
of things you can do."
"Think of this as a mini-Miss America contest," Julia cooed.
Eleven Roses gasped. Chloe looked at her best friend like she had lost
her mind. "Miss America?"
"Like the talent portion. Sing. Dance. Do something that will catch the
judge's eye. And in this case,
the judge is the Catch."
The back door slammed, and Trey walked into the house with a suitcase
in hand. Every woman there froze at the sight of him. For the first few
seconds, Chloe forgot that he was a liar.
Her pulse kicked up, and she involuntarily sucked in her breath at how
beautiful he was. He had dressed in a tuxedo that fit him like a glove;
his white shirt was simple, no ruffles, with black onyx shirt studs
that disappeared beneath a dark gray vest. Conservative but sexy at the
same time. The formal evening clothes accentuated the dark fierceness
of him.
He was breathtaking, like a prince at a rogues ball.
Which reminded her of just who he was. Sterling Prescott. Cutthroat
media mogul. CEO of Prescott Media. Corporate raider extraordinaire.
Though she still thought of him as Trey.
"Sorry I'm late."
He smiled at her, that slight grin that was given out so rarely that it
seemed like a treasured gift. Not
that she felt that way, but more than one of the Roses sighed.
Geez
.
"I've been on the phone all morning," he said to Chloe, "clearing my
plate so I'll have all day to deal
with this. I brought my suitcase. I guess I'm the one staying at your
house now."
She studied her clipboard, trying to ignore him, since she couldn't
take looking at him much longer. Because the truth was she had the urge
to launch herself at him again, and not because she was angry. How was
it possible that she was still attracted to the man when she knew him
to be a horrible conniving person? It was unfair. Unheard of for her.
On top of that, she wasn't happy about having him stay in her home. It
felt intimate and knowing, as if she was giving him a peek into her
soul. Had he been a stranger, it wouldn't have mattered. But this
man wasn't a stranger. Not anymore.
"Yes, you're staying at my house," she stated with her best in-charge
voice. "I'll take you over during
the lunch break."
"That works."
Ever since he had become the Catch, he had taken this new job
seriously. In fact he had taken it so seriously that he had stopped
teasing and flirting with her altogether. Suddenly he was Mr.
Professional
in every aspect of his dealings with her. He was treating her as
nothing more than one of the dozen Roses.
Good!
Good!
"For now," she added, "you can leave your suitcase in the kitchen, then
we can get started."
For the first time she realized how quiet it had gotten. Every one of
the Roses sat in rapt attention. They might have joked about winning
the Catch's eye earlier. But now, seeing the man in the light of day,
dressed like an elegant warrior king, each of them was truly trying to
figure out a way to stand out. Even their shy nurse had a glitter in
her gaze that was all but predatory.
Chloe had to tamp down a surge of desire that she told herself was
nothing more than perfectly normal competitiveness.
"Let's go to the ballroom," she instructed.
That was one of the more amazing aspects of Julia's childhood home. Not
only was it huge and lovely, but the grand living room, as they called
it, could be turned into a stunning ballroom.
The Roses filed in, their heels sounding hollow against the hardwood
floor. Each of them was already dressed in her formal gown donated by
Henri's Formal Wear. Even the camera equipment and lighting shades
couldn't detract from the shimmering beauty of the crystal and mirrored
space.
As a child, Chloe used to sneak in and pretend to dance. She was
Cinderella, and she would dance with her imaginary prince, who always
arrived just in time to rescue her.
Shaking the thought away, she directed the girls to the chairs and
sofas that had been left in the room. When she had everyone seated, she
directed Trey to stand in a lattice archway covered with roses and
ivy that she and the director had set up earlier.
"Okay, Pete, it's all yours," Chloe said.
"But what about you?" Julia asked.
Everyone looked Chloe over. Chloe glanced at herself in the wall of
mirrors and had to swallow back a gasp. After finalizing the set, she
hadn't had a second to get ready.
"I'm one of the six who we'll tape after lunch."
Trey interrupted. "We want to have a wide sweep of all twelve Roses.
Which includes you."
"I haven't had a chance to get ready. Plus I don't have a dress yet.
Henri is bringing something over.
Our AWOL Rose's gown didn't fit me. And the vendor already took the
extras away."
For the first time since he arrived that morning, he looked at her with
that sensual knowing. "I can think of a dress you have that would work
well."
Her heart leaped into her throat, and she was certain red seared into
her cheeks. She started to protest.
Pete agreed. "I'd rather do the wide shots this morning. That way we
can get started editing that tape for the show's opening."
"Go change," Trey commanded. "We'll start with the individual intros.
Then once you get back, we'll
do the wide sweep."
Knowing they were right, she left. Julia followed. "What dress is he
talking about?"
"There's something that I forgot to mention," Chloe began with a
cringe, "in all the excitement about the show and the plans and
whatnotâ"
"Whenever you use
whatnot
, I
know something's up."
"Nothing is up. It's just that I sort of forgot to mention that"âshe
drew a deep breathâ"the night I
nearly had sex in the hotel bathroomâremember that night?"
"Yes," Julia said very carefully.
"Remember how I said it was a stranger?"
"I do."
"Well, that stranger would be Trey."
"What? Our Trey? Bachelor Trey?"
"That's the one."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to. But I found out that Trey was from Prescott Media, and
then Kate and I thought I
should tell you in person...."
"You told Kate?"
"Yes, that first day, but I wanted to tell you in person and you were
busy and then things got kind of out of control and I hated to mention
that on top of finding out that you were having such issues with the
station. Anyway, then I forgot I hadn't mentioned it. Until now."
Julia started to pace, her kitten heels clicking on the floor. "Great.
So why the news flash now?"
"Remember the dress that I borrowed from you that night?"
"That's the dress he referred to?"
"You got it."
Finally Julia stopped and smiled. "See, I told you that dress would
make you stand out in a crowd."
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